


Calm Before the Storm

by queenseamoose



Series: Saint, Sinner, Savior [4]
Category: Saints Row
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 08:54:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7428277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenseamoose/pseuds/queenseamoose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the Saints the only gang left standing in Stilwater, Abby and Aisha take some time to relax—but both internal and external conflicts are brewing just below the surface.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Calm Before the Storm

The breeze was blowing in off the water, sending thousands of glittering ripples across the surface as Abby exited the coffee shop, two drinks in hand. Aisha turned as she approached, adjusting her sunglasses and tugging her hat a little more securely down on her head. “Let’s walk,” she said as she took her drink, nervously glancing over her shoulder. “I’m starting to think those girls over there recognize me.”

Abby nodded, and they fell in step alongside each other as they made their way along the sidewalk. Despite the light wind occasionally gusting past, summer had arrived in a burst of heat, and Abby was practically roasting alive in her sweater. She’d already pushed her sleeves up above her elbows before they’d even gotten their coffee, but as she squinted up at the sun, she decided she didn’t mind. Although it hadn’t been a particularly harsh winter, it had seemed to last forever, and she was just grateful to be warm again.

Aisha followed her gaze, grasping onto her hat as the breeze caught hold of the brim. “It’s so hot,” she sighed, stating the obvious as she took a sip of her drink. “Is the Lopez mansion pool ready yet? Today’s gonna be a good day for it.”

Abby’s brow wrinkled in concentration as she struggled to remember. “Maybe? I haven’t been over there lately,” she said, although she felt a quick burst of excitement. She’d been aching to use the pool ever since the first time she’d seen it that day she and Dex had stormed the mansion. It’d been ages since she’d gotten to swim—voluntarily, at least. That thought was a knife twisting in her gut, but if Aisha noticed her face falter, she didn’t comment on it.

“We should have another dinner, like we did for Easter,” she was saying, nudging Abby toward the crosswalk as a cluster of people clutching flyers came into view further down on their side of the street. “Only this time we should make it a barbecue.”

“I like the way you think,” Abby remarked, feeling a hint of her smile return despite herself. “You should invite Zoe, too. I haven’t seen her in a while; how’s she doing?”

A loud honk interrupted them, and Abby gritted her teeth together as she whipped around to face an irritated-looking man in a shiny SUV. Aisha placed a warning hand on her friend’s arm, as if sensing the other woman’s urge to reach for her pistol. “Aren’t you supposed to be lying low?” Aisha teased.

“A couple bullet holes in his fender won’t hurt him,” Abby grumbled, but she relented, stepping up onto the sidewalk as Aisha gave the driver a cheerful wave. He flipped them off and stomped on the gas, only to screech to a stop after fifty feet, joining in the long line of cars winding off into the distance toward the highway. Abby snickered, shielding her eyes from the sun’s glare as she peered off in the direction of the traffic.

“Where’s all this coming from?” she groaned. “I’ve never seen it this bad—not even that time Johnny and I tore up downtown in Friday night rush hour.”

Aisha shrugged. “It’s the first real warm weekend we’ve had. Maybe everyone’s trying to get out of town and take advantage of it?

“Maybe.” Abby shook her head. They’d passed the angry driver in the SUV, and she turned around to glare at him once more. “But some of these assholes seriously need to chill. They’ve got all—”

Her voice broke off as the realization hit her, and she stopped dead in her tracks. “It’s not the weather,” she breathed, “it’s Stilwater U’s graduation. Everyone’s families are in town for it.”

Her mouth twisted in a half smile as she shook her head and continued her trudge along the sidewalk. “This was supposed to be the weekend I graduated college.” Aisha gave a small murmur, and for a moment, the two walked on in silence.

“Do you ever regret it?” Aisha asked suddenly. “Leaving school, moving to the Row—joining up with the Saints?”

Abby frowned, pursing her lips. “No,” she said after a brief silence. “No, never.” She met Aisha’s sunglassed stare. “What about you?” She shot the question back at her. “You were living your dream—you were a _star._ And you had to have been making millions.”

Aisha sighed as they wove through the lanes of stopped cars. “Truth is, I was losing more than I was making,” she admitted. “But it wasn’t just the money—it was the constant threats and living in fear. And when they took Zoe?” She gripped her coffee cup just a little tighter, the cardboard sleeve slightly caving inward. “I don’t believe that was an accident. And that was when I knew it just wasn’t worth it.”

“So no, I don’t regret it,” she continued. “I get to spend more time with Zoe now, and things with Johnny have never been better. And I’m still writing music, only now it’s because I want to and I like doing it. I do hate that it had to come to this, and I can’t say I like dressing like this every time I leave the house.” She gestured vaguely toward her long skirt and buttoned-up jacket. “But I’m a lot happier now. I’m finally back in control of my life. But you didn’t really answer my question.” Her voice turned skeptical. “You walked away from a pretty bright future.”

Abby sighed. They were walking across the grass now, down to the water’s edge, and she twisted around to look back over her shoulder at the traffic. “I don’t know about that,” she muttered. “My last semester was _bad_. Half my professors hated me by the time it was over, and I don’t even know what the damage to my GPA was.” She shrugged. “That part of my life is over. I don’t _want_ it back.”

“Really.” Aisha peered over the frames of her sunglasses.

“Yes!” Abby gestured helplessly. “Why’s that so hard to believe?”

Aisha shook her head. “I don’t know. I guess…” Her voice trailed off as she settled herself on a nearby bench, carefully arranging the folds of her skirt.

“Guess what?” Abby plunked down beside her, taking another long sip of her drink. Aisha pursed her lips.

“When I first met you, you didn’t say much, but you sure were set on cleaning up the city,” she finally said, finishing off the last of her coffee.

“And isn’t that what we did?” Abby frowned. “Crime is down, Eesh. Troy showed me the numbers; I’m not just making that up.”

“Then what do you call that deal with the Colombians?” Aisha asked pointedly, and Abby rolled her eyes.

“Better in our hands than the Carnales,” she insisted, crossing her arms over her chest as Aisha gave short, incredulous huff of laughter.

“Well, what about that stunt back in the fall that you and Johnny are so proud of?” she pressed. “Or that disaster on the highway the other day?” At that, Abby stiffened, flinching away as she’d been struck.

“That doesn’t count, and you know it,” she snapped, feeling the fury rising and flooding her cheeks. “I would have destroyed half the city if it meant…” There was suddenly a lump in her throat, and her voice broke off as she stared out at the water.

“Abby.” Aisha spoke gently from beside her. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

She’d sworn she was done crying weeks ago, but she could still feel the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. “Joseph Price,” she said tightly, hoping Aisha wouldn’t notice her wavering tone, “deserved what he got. And so did his wrinkly old asshole of an uncle.” She shook her head. “I will _never_ apologize for that.”

“I didn’t say you had to.” Aisha’s voice was filled with sympathy, and somehow, that was worse than her earlier disapproval. “No one is saying that.” A brief silence fell between them, and Abby nursed the last remains of her coffee, slowly feeling the tears fade away.

“Abby, are you going to be okay?” Aisha asked suddenly, and when Abby dared to turn and look at her, her brow was creased with worry. “After—after everything.” She dropped her gaze to the ground. “I know she meant a lot to you,” she continued quietly. “And I know you’re angry. I just hope you understand—it’s not your fault what happened.”

Abby swallowed hard, drawing in a deep breath before finally lifting her gaze to Aisha’s.

“The Saints rule Stilwater,” she declared firmly. “This is _our_ city now. _We_ make the rules. No one else is dying under my watch.”

A shadow crossed Aisha’s face then, a mixture of sadness and something else unidentifiable, but as she opened her mouth to speak, she was interrupted by a loud beeping. Abby fished her phone from her pocket, studying the screen. “It’s Julius. Hang on a second.” Aisha nodded, picking up their discarded coffee cups and heading for a nearby trash can as Abby lifted the phone to her ear.

_“We did it, playa. 3 rd Street owns this town…”_


End file.
